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WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE — President George W. Bush said Thursday that the troop surge is working in Iraq, restoring security and allowing civic life to resume in that country.

Bush spoke Thursday, March 27, at the National Museum of the United States Air Force, before an invited crowd of about 1,200 community leaders and members of the military.

It was the president's final speech on Iraq before the U.S. Congress gets an update on the war from General David Petraeus and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker on April 8-9.

Bush said the addition of 30,000 U.S. troops last year is "doing what it was designed to do" and he criticized those who say the United States should quickly pull out of Iraq.

"The reality is retreating from Iraq would carry enormous strategic costs for the United States," Bush said. "It would incite chaos and killing, destroy the political gains the Iraqis have made, and abandon our friends to terrorists and death squads."

Bush's remarks drew criticism from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.

"The president asserts that real progress has been made in Iraq. But if that were truly the case, our troops would be coming home soon," Reid told the Associated Press.

Bush said he will make a decision soon on troop levels after consulting with military and diplomatic leaders.

"I will always remember that the progress in Iraq is real, it's substantive, but it is reversible," said Bush. "And so the principle behind my decision on troop levels will be ensuring that we succeed in Iraq."

Bush said the signs of success in Iraq range from big issues, such as Iraq taking more responsibility for defense, to legislative changes that make the country more democratic, to everyday lifestyle changes.

For example, Bush said he spoke recently to Army Lt. Gen. Ray Odierno upon his return from Iraq.

"He said he flew over Baghdad 15 months ago and he couldn't see a single soccer game. On his final flight last month, he counted more than 180," said Bush. "It is a sign normalcy is returning back to Iraq."

Bush said in coming months his administration will solidify a long-term strategic partnership with Iraq.

"This partnership would help assure Iraqis that political and economic and security cooperation between our nations will endure," Bush said.

He said his proposal would not "bind future presidents to specific troop levels" or establish permanent U.S. bases in Iraq.

Bush visits

Following his speech Bush attended a private political fundraiser at the home of Marty and Lisa Grunder of Sugarcreek Twp. The money raised was for the Ohio Republican Party's Victory 2008, a segregated federal account for Republican candidates.

"It was a great event," said John McClelland, state party spokesman.

He said a "couple hundred" people attended the event but he would not say how much was raised. The invitation for the fundraiser said the luncheon was $1,000, but $10,000 donors could go to a private reception with a photo opportunity.

Former U.S. Rep. Rob Portman attended and said the event "exceeded the fundraising goal" that had been set at less than a half-million dollars.

McClelland said it was an honor to have the president visit.

"He gave us a really good pep talk and talked about John McCain and how John McCain's positions on the issues matched the positions of the majority of Ohioans," said McClelland. "It was a great event and we'll welcome the president back anytime he wants to come here."

After the fundraiser, which lasted about 90 minutes, Bush returned to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, where he met with the families of 21 area soldiers and Marines who died in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the families of two airmen who died in training accidents in Europe.

Like the fundraiser, the meeting with families was private and the White House refused to release the names of families who met with Bush or the nature of his remarks.

Also, Bush honored Air Force 1st Lt. Robert J. Goodreau, who was given the President's Volunteer Service Award. Goodreau, who works at the base, is a volunteer with the Civil Air Patrol's Southeast and Great Lakes Regions and Ohio's Civil Air Patrol Wing.

Staff writer Jessica Wehrman contributed to this report.